According to law enforcement, the criminals advertised their drug trafficking services in Telegram messenger chats. They smuggled and distributed various drugs, including methamphetamine, ketamine, and synthetic marijuana. The suspects used raw materials from Vietnam and manufactured the drugs themselves in their own lab in South Korea.
The group began its illegal activities in September 2023 and sold drugs for bitcoin until June 20, 2024. The profits received by the offenders exceeded $4.3 million. The police came across the criminals thanks to a local resident who reported a suspicious young man walking near the flower beds of the apartment complex.
After searching the area, police found white powder in a balloon. Using CCTV footage, police tracked down the man. By confiscating his mobile phone, law enforcement officers were able to track down details of illegal cryptocurrency transactions and reach the organizers of the Telegram group.
About 2,000 drug stashes were identified. A total of 40 kilograms of illegal substances were confiscated. Police also seized Bitcoin and cash worth more than $7,200 from the criminals. Several members of the criminal group remain at large, including the second “gang leader.” It is believed that he may have fled to the Philippines.
A California resident was recently arrested in the US for selling drugs through the darknet platforms ToRReZ and Dark0de. She faces life imprisonment for laundering money through cryptocurrency.
Source: Bits
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